The Unite local government national committee (the NISC, National Industrial Sector Combine) has called on Labour councils to set no-cuts budgets. You can read about the vote here at the website of Unite Housing branch 11
We are asking NSSN supporters to take the supporting model resolution below, to their union branch, local trades council, anti-cuts group etc, to back up this stance. We can raise this decision in the run up to council budget setting meetings, to add their pressure on the council not to implement cuts.
Resolution:
Local Authorities No Cuts Budgets
This …… welcomes the resolution passed by the Unite Local Government national committee which calls on councils so set no-cuts budgets. (See extract below)
We endorse this strategy as crucial for defending the jobs and conditions of local government workers as well as maintaining vital services for the wider community.
We pledge to work with Unite local government members in campaigning for this approach.
The Unite local government position is:
“To call on Labour Councils to set legal no cuts budgets, use reserves, capitalise eligible general fund expenditure and borrow prudentially to generate resources so that no Labour Council need make cuts. These are short term measures to buy time to build a national campaign.
That the financial measures must be combined with a national campaign, linking Councils, trade unions and communities in a fight against the Tories austerity programme.”
NSSN / Kill the Bill news
The NSSN is hosting a public solidarity meeting in Port Talbot on Wednesday February 10th to build support for the steelworkers. It is at 7.30pm in the lounge at the Grand Hotel Station Rd, Port Talbot SA13 1DE (opposite the train station). It is open to everyone. We call on our supporters to organise meetings anywhere else that plants and jobs are on the line. https://www.facebook.com/NationaliseTATA/?fref=ts
Solidarity with the steelworkers – no redundancies, no closures, nationalise to #SaveOurSteel
As expected, the Tory Trade Union Bill passed its 3rd reading on November 10th. It now goes to the Lords. But we must keep up the pressure and prepare for resisting it if it becomes law.
The NSSN supported the protest that the TUCG organised outside Parliament on the 2nd House of Lords reading of the TU Bill on Monday January 11th. We will be publicising protests on the 3rdreading. See video of PCS national Vice-President John McInally speaking on protest
The TUC have announced a week of action February 8-14 against the Trade Union Billhttp://heartunions.org/. Watch out for any protests or meetings that week – or organise your own through your Trades Council, union branch, NSSN etc. A central part of the TUC week of action will be ‘The Big Workplace Meeting’ – where the TUC is calling on union branches and workplaces to come out of work together at 12.30pm on Tuesday 9 February and hold a meeting to discuss fighting the Trade Union Bill. Why not make it a protest and take action against the Bill?!!
Campaign for Trade Union Freedom Spring Rally – 6.30pm Thursday 11th February Mander Hall, NUT Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD http://www.tradeunionfreedom.co.uk/
Rob Williams NSSN chair was interviewed live on BBC’s Daily Politics at TUC Congress watch here at about 30 minutes
Early notice – the 10th annual NSSN conference will on Saturday July 2nd 2016 in Conway Hall, London. Please put in your new diaries!!
Yorkshire NSSN Conference: Stop the Union Busters / Organise the Unorganised – Saturday, 5th March at Ebor Court, Skinner St, Leeds, LS1 4ND https://www.facebook.com/events/514766158692960/
The last two pink NSSN ‘£10 Now’ t-shirts are available for £8. Both are women’s large sizes. First come first served! Order by emailing [email protected]
Get your trade union branch or trades council to affiliate to the NSSN – it only costs £50. Already affiliated? Please think about renewing it. Also, many of our supporters pay a few pounds a month. You can set up a similar standing order to ‘National Shop Stewards Network’, HSBC – sort code 40-06-41, account number 90143790. Our address is NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE. Affiliation letter:-
NSSN conference & affiliation letter
Download the ‘Join the NSSN’ leaflet here
And if you can, come to one of our regional Conferences. If there is not one in your area, get in touch to either assist in organising or have a speaker at one of your meetings or events. Contact Rob or Linda on[email protected]
More Union News
CWU
Union claims back pay for underpaid agency workers at Swiss Post
The CWU is currently in discussion with Swiss Post about the underpayment of agency staff.
A large number of people who were taken on via the agency Office Angels up to June 2015, who are now directly employed, did not receive equal pay for the time they were employed through the agency. Read more
Defend the People’s Post sign the petition here
RMT
Station workers balloted to defend unfairly sacked disabled colleague
Further to my previous Circular (IR/276/15, 12th November 2015), members will recall the case of Sister Rachel Gard who suffers from type 1 diabetes and was recently dismissed from London Underground. This matter has now been considered again by the National Executive Committee, which has noted the outcome of the Director’s review to uphold the decision to dismiss Sister Gard, and taken the decision to commence a ballot of our Customer Service Assistant members at Bond Street Station. Read more
Tube strike suspended, but union still in dispute
Mick Cash said: “Further to my letter dated 21st January, all members will have a copy of the revised offer from London Underground in respect of Pay, Night Tube and Fit for the Future Station. For your ease of reference, the full offer can still be accessed on our website via http://bit.ly/1VaPXTA
The mass meeting of your RMT Reps took place today and having considered the views from this meeting, the National Executive Committee has taken the decision to suspend this week’s strike action. Members are therefore instructed to work as normal on Tuesday 26th and Wednesday 27th January 2016.” Read more
London Underground Fleet members to be balloted over pensions dispute
Please find below a resolution submitted by the LU Fleet Branch:
“The feeling of the members regarding parity of pensions has gone on for far too long. We feel the time is right to ballot all Tube Lines members on the pensions issue.
We strongly believe that no agreement should be implemented on Pay or Night Tube until this long standing issue is resolved. (No Pensions, No Night Tube).
We therefore instruct the NEC to ballot our members for strike action and action short of a strike as soon as practicable.” Read more
Angry RMT cabbies picket Labour conference at Leicester Town Hall
Angry cabbies picketed a Labour Party event at Leicester Town Hall at the weekend as the latest part of their battle with city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby. Read more
Unite
Strike action looms at Motherwell logistics multinational
Drivers and warehouse operatives at Motherwell-based firm XPO Logistics will undertake a 48-hour strike later this week after the company ignored a national agreement and imposed changes to long-standing pay and working-time arrangements.
On a 65 per cent turnout, 92 per cent voted for strike action and 100 per cent voted for action short of strikes in protest at XPO management’s failure to consult and negotiate over changes to rates of pay and time in lieu for employees working the traditional new year bank holiday. Read more
UK construction projects face major disruption as crane operators vote to strike
Crane operators at the UK’s largest mobile crane hire firm, Ainscough, have delivered a wake-up call to management, after voting overwhelmingly for strike action in a pay dispute.
Unite, the country’s biggest union, is urging Ainscough to improve its pay offer to avert potential serious disruption on construction sites and major projects across the UK, after the decisive rejection of the company’s pitiful two-year deal. Read more
Action for Children unions ballot for industrial action in pay dispute
High-handed action by bosses over pay at the charity Action for Children has prompted Unite and Unison to ballot their members for industrial action.
The unions said that management intends to impose a one per cent pay award for 2015/16, with no cost of living rise for 40 per cent of the 5,000 strong workforce. They also intend to remove contractual pay increments for new starters, refuse to pay the UK living wage of £8.25 (£9.40 in London) and cut mileage rates. Read more
Unite vows to continue fight to defend 1,550 jobs at L&G Kingswood
Unite members fighting to defend 1,550 jobs at the flagship Legal & General site in Kingswood, Surrey, have vowed to fight on following today’s announcement that the group’s board intends to close the site by 2018.
In a communication to staff L&G confirmed the proposal to close the site by the Summer of 2018. However, Unite will continue with plans for industrial action until the company agrees to meet with the union to explore all options for defending jobs. Read more
FBU
Gloucestershire firefighters slam ‘disgraceful’ plan to cut fire cover
Recommendations by senior managers at Gloucestershire’s fire service to shut down Painswick fire station and cut all the full time firefighters as Cirencester fire station have been slammed as ‘disgraceful’ by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). Read more
GMB
GMB protest in Eastbourne on Sat 30th January over cuts in East Sussex county council budget at February council meeting
Council leader has acknowledged that the cuts will ‘significantly reduce the quality of life for many people in East Sussex’ says GMB.
GMB is joining a protest in Eastbourne on Saturday 30th January over cuts to be voted on at a full meeting of East Sussex County Council on 9th Feb that will significantly reduce the quality of life for many people in East Sussex. The council has to make further cuts of between £70m to £90m by 2019.
Other News
Blacklisting & Victimisation
Buy the book ‘Blacklisted: The Secret War between Big Business and Union Activists’ Author: Dave Smith and Phil Chamberlain. Blacklisted tells the controversial story of the illegal strategies that transnational construction companies used to keep union activists away from work. See the official trailer from ReelNews
Blacklist Support Group financial appeal: the Blacklist support group is desperately short of funds, to continue the incredible work in 2015 we need more finance, would you please consider making a donation, raise it at your branches and trade councils. Please make cheques payable to Joint sites committee and send to 70 Darnay Rise Chelmsford Essex CM1 4XA. Please forward onto your contacts many thanks Steve Kelly (JSC Treasurer)
Blacklist Support Group update – 19th January 2016
High Court orders construction firms to release blacklisting information
A High Court judge today (Friday 22 January) ordered 30 construction firms including Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd and Balfour Beatty to disclose all emails and correspondence relating to blacklisting after it emerged that managers at Balfour Beatty referred to blacklisted workers as ‘sheep’.
Read more
Blacklisters to miss out on Scottish contracts
Companies that are or have been involved in blacklisting will be excluded from bidding for public contracts, under new regulations that were laid in the Scottish Parliament in December 2015.
From 18 April 2016, it will be a legal requirement for public bodies to exclude businesses which are found to have breached the 2010 Blacklists Regulations, or which have admitted to doing so.
The exclusion will remain in force until the business has taken appropriate remedial measures, or a period of three years has elapsed since the blacklisting occurred, which is the maximum timescale allowed under EU law.
The legal requirement to exclude such companies replaces previous guidelines for public bodies which required companies seeking public sector contracts to disclose whether they have been involved in the practice.”
Reel News Financial Appeal
The video activist collective that has documented the blacklisting campaign and other workers struggles is desperately in need of £1200 to complete a film with Spanish trade unionists who were brutalized under the Franco regime. Any donations from union branches or generous individuals would be appreciated. If your union committee, university or community group does not already subscribe – why not?
http://reelnews.co.uk/donationssubscriptions/
Blacklisted book http://newint.org/books/politics/blacklisted-secret-war/
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlCa8yQmZ70
Blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/
International (also see Labourstart)
France hit by day of protest as workers take to the streets
Taxi drivers, teachers, farmers and air traffic controllers among employees taking industrial action across country. Read more
Diary (see & use false economy)
2016
March
5 Yorkshire NSSN Conference: Stop the Union Busters / Organise the Unorganised at Ebor Court, Skinner St, Leeds, LS1 4ND https://www.facebook.com/events/514766158692960/
July
2 10th annual NSSN Conference in Conway Hall, London
CONTACT US
PHONE 07952 283 558
EMAIL mailto:[email protected]
TWITTER – https://twitter.com/NSSN_AntiCuts
FACEBOOK NSSN GROUP or STOP The CUTS Likes page
ADDRESS NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE
